United Fiber chooses Entone FusionTV for FTTH network

United Services, Inc., a subsidiary of United Electric Cooperative (UECI), has selected FusionTV platforms from Entone, Inc. to help supply video services in rural Missouri under its “United Fiber” brand via fiber to the home (FTTH).

Entone will supply its Kamai Hybrid Media Player, which will enable United Services to support a blend of linear TV and over-the-top (OTT) content via a single user interface. The Kamai 500 series will provide access to such OTT services as VUDU, social media apps like Facebook and Twitter, photo sharing via Flickr and Picasa, and Internet radio from Pandora, Entone says.

“As demands and customer expectations for new and advanced video services accelerates, we are continually looking for products that help meet that demand and keep our community on the cutting edge,” said Darren Farnan, chief development officer of UECI. “The integration of the Kamai Hybrid Media Player into our advanced FTTH network is the type of product that meets these growing expectations and ultimately helps us drive subscriber growth and revenue.”

The Kamai 500 series decodes such popular video formats as MPEG-4 (AVC/H.264), MPEG-2, and VC-1, as well as advanced audio formats; it also performs transcoding. In addition, the Kamai 500 series will support carrier grade 5.4-GHz Wi-Fi and Adaptive Bit-Rate (ABR) streaming.

“As the industry continues to shift towards a fusion of linear TV and OTT services, service providers are seeking a cost-effective approach to deliver a unique entertainment experience to their customers,” said Steve McKay, CEO of Entone. "We are pleased to partner with United Fiber as they look to differentiate their video services.”

For more information on FTTx equipment and suppliers, visit the Lightwave Buyer’s Guide.